Current Projects

Education is our constant goal. One way we are able to accomplish this goal is by acquiring books on at-risk issues and positive life skills through donations or discounts. We then donate these resources to schools, professionals, libraries, and families in need of such materials.

Our outreach program helps families with an attempted or completed suicide to prevent further loss, as well as other critical areas. The 177 families helped to date have been guided to get further counseling and given resource information to prevent further trauma and loss. We are continuing our work to educate on depression, anxiety, and other psychological disorders through the media and by promoting Dr. Quinnett's QPR Gatekeeper Training for Suicide Prevention. The program is offered in small classroom settings or online. For more information regarding QPR log onto www.qprinstitute.com . In addition, SMILE is working to raise awareness regarding depression in supporting the NDSD (National Depression Screening Day), which is held in October. Look for regional testing sites and more information at NDSD’s web site www.mentalhealthscreening.org

One of the first on-line suicide prevention training programs in the United States is now offered by Eastern Washington University’s School of Social Work and Human Services, in partnership with the QPR Institute, an internationally-recognized leader in the field. College credit courses and continuing education courses are available on intervention and assessment of person at risk for suicide. For more information to please visit http://suicideprevention.ewu.edu or call 1-800-331-9959.

The following are the upcoming events/projects that need your support:

The 10th yearly conference “Early Prevention, Future Success” is to be held at Red Lion Inn at the Park on November 5, 2009.  Wendy Schneider, producer of documentary film “Cut”, Paul Quinnett, Ph.D, Lou Sowers, Ph.D., and Matt Layton, M.D. will present on aspects, myths, and treatment of self-injurious cutting.

The 64-page “Grieving Resource—Books and Other Media” is being given to families, professionals, and others grieving.  It is broken down into age groups, fiction and non-fiction, and areas of grief.

The “Help Card” and the publication “Is This Really Normal?” continue to be distributed.  Education continues through presentations and media interviews, as well as working with Hospice on grief.  We worked on the committee to form the Washington State youth suicide prevention plan.

Dr. Forni, author and co-founder of the “Civility Project” at Johns Hopkins University, returned in March, 2008. Three DVDs (professional, families, and grade-school) “Civility:  Commitment to Kindness” are used locally and nationally as part of our work dealing with bullying and dehumanization, with the ensuing health effects.

Our Outreach Program continues to work with families/communities after a loss or at other critical times with 177 contributions to date.

SMILE continues donation of books, DVDs, and CDs to families, schools, professionals, and other organizations working with youth.  Information and recipes are being organized and given to those with Celiac Sprue.